OMAHA, Neb. -
Clemson defeated the No. 1 Arizona State University baseball team 6-3 on Monday in the teams' opening game of the 2010 College World Series. A crowd of 14,198 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb., saw the Sun Devils fall to 52-9 overall on the season. ASU will face South Carolina on Tuesday in an elimination game.

The Tigers threatened in the first against ASU starter Seth Blair, loading the bases with one out, but shortstop Brad Miller lined out to Deven Marrero for an inning-ending double play.

However, they would break through in the second with two runs. Spencer Kieboom drove home the game's first run on an infield single, and then Wilson Boyd scored on a throwing error by Marrero as he attempted to complete a double play.

ASU got on the board in the third when Raoul Torrez doubled to left, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Austin Barnes.

Clemson took command in the fifth, scoring three runs on three consecutive RBI singles, and they added another run in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead.

The Sun Devils scored with a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth, as Zack MacPhee and Kole Calhoun both drew walks and Riccio Torrez then brought in MacPhee with a single to center.

ASU had its best chance to rally in the bottom of the seventh. Johnny Ruettiger and Marrero began the inning with back-to-back singles and Raoul Torrez then walked to load the bases with no outs. However, the Devils would score only one in the inning on a groundout by Drew Maggi.

Clemson reliever Adam Frederick, who came on with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh and limited ASU to one run, stayed on and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to finish off the game. It was his third save of the season. Clemson starter Casey Harman got the win to improve to 8-3.

Blair took the loss, his first of the season, to drop to 12-1. He allowed seven hits and five earned runs and matched his career high with five walks over 4.1 innings. Brady Rodgers allowed a run over 1.2 innings of relief, while Jimmy Patterson and Mitchell Lambson combined to throw three scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

The Sun Devils will now meet South Carolina at 3:30 p.m. Omaha time (1:30 in Arizona) in an elimination game of the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium.